Choosing Paint Colours
for a Small Space
Choosing paint colours for small spaces can be challenging. You don't have to paint every wall some variation of white, though.
What you need is a starting point.
For this project, the starting point was the wallpaper chosen for the powder room.
We drew the colours for the entire main floor from the wallpaper.
We wanted the pallet to be neutral for the walls, floors, and cabinetry so we could add colour and dimension with the accessories. We liked the look of grey but wanted to be careful to choose a warm grey.
All paints for this project are Benjamin Moore.
Starting with the powder room, the wall behind the sink is the first wall you see when entering that room. We papered that wall. All the other walls in the powder room were painted Abalone 2108-60.
The cabinetry for this room is a dark brown, not quite an espresso colour.
The wall in the front hall can be seen in the powder room mirror.
This one wall in the hallway was painted Brown Horse 2108-30.
I like that there is an opportunity to hang more art here. The cross stitch pheasant picture was stitched by my mother and framed by my father before I was born.
We can also accommodate a small coat tree mostly used for hats, and a hat brush.
I like hanging art and accessories on dark walls.
The hallway is a transitional area so the dark colour doesn't feel overwhelming.
The other walls in the hall are painted Abalone 2108-60.
From the hallway, the kitchen, part of the living room and the dining room can be seen.
In the kitchen, the walls are painted Silver Fox 2108-50. This colour can look dark or quite light depending upon lighting conditions, or perhaps it's the fault of the photographer.
The cabinets, ceiling, and all trim are painted Lacey Pearl 2108-70. This is a very nice warm white.
Walls in the living room and dining room are Abalone 2108-60.
I have loved Abalone a long time. It is a warm grey. It pairs well with both warm and cool colours.
There is another bathroom in the house (not shown) that has been painted Abalone for nearly ten years.
Choosing these colours was easy because they are all variations of each other.
All of the colours chosen come from the same paint card. They all go together and apart from the darkest colours, there is little contrast to make the rooms feel smaller than they are but just enough to make it interesting.
Choosing paint colours can be intimidating. There is so much to choose from that it can become a difficult process.
Starting with a fabric, rug, or wallpaper and then choosing a paint colour is the way to go. It is even easier if you can choose all the colours from the same card.
I have been living with these colours for a number of years and I still really like them.
The only thing I would like to change is the wallpaper. I find I tire of wallpaper after a few years and then I am anxious for a change. Maybe there will be another project coming up in the future.
Thanks for stopping by.
Barbara
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I love color selection but it can be a tough one and sometimes I stall far too long! The powder room is beautiful. I'd love to have a room that large for the bathroom! The art is such a wonderful touch. I believe in art in the bathroom, even if it's small -- one can be there rather awhile and it's nice to have something fun to look at!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your terrific and insightful comment on my blog post on self-checkout and interaction/communication with those in the shops. It really added to the discussion!
Thank you Jeanie. I like working with colour, even if it is just finding pillows that go together.
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